Fiona O'Loughlin
Administrative Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Some 400 remote working hubs were also put in place, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic, when we all had the realisation that some work - not all work - can be done remotely. The local enterprise boards are doing an incredible job in rural areas. I am speaking from experience.”
“I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming both the Belgian ambassador and my friends Joeleen and James. Anyone who has visited Chat N' Chew in Newbridge will have met Joeleen. I certainly hope her lunch today will be up to the usual standard at Chat N' Chew. It was lovely to meet with our former colleague Catherine Martin last night.”
“Continuing the theme of Kildare connections, she is a grand-niece of the late Rathangan author Maura Laverty, who wrote many books and wrote the very first soap opera for RTÉ, "Tolka Row". We wish Áine well on her retirement. I wish to talk about a serious issue relating to the blueway.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her positive response. In terms of premises, I had meetings with Jigsaw over the years in Newbridge and we did look at various premises. No later than yesterday, I spoke to the chief executive of Kildare County Council in relation to this.”
“We know young people are showing signs of stress or anxiety and that it is a very stressful and anxious world. Interventions can be made at this stage. The reason I have tabled this Commencement matter is that I have been advocating for a long time for Newbridge to have a Jigsaw service.”
“I always hate talking about these figures, but in terms of the rate of youth suicide, Kildare has the highest rate in Leinster. According to CSO figures, 14 people died by suicide in Kildare in 2023, in 2022 the figure was 26 and in 2021 it was 27. Demand is rising sharply for services.”
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“That suspension is both legally justified and morally necessary. Ireland has consistently made clear that each of the EU's bilateral relationships must be grounded in respect for international law and our fundamental principles. We have consistently drawn attention to the EU's strong opposition to Israel's settlement policy and activities and to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution, including extremist settler violence. In response to a request from a number of Ministers, on 20 May last year the EU Foreign Affairs Council agreed to a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. That decision reflected the grave concerns held by member states regarding ongoing Israeli military operations and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
“It is our view that Israel's conduct constitutes an absolute breach of this clause, and therefore, legally should trigger suspension. UN experts have stated that Israel's actions amount to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, making continued preferential trade incompatible with EU human rights. We all recognise and know this, but it always important to put on the record that recognised bodies are recognising this as well. There have been systemic violations of international humanitarian law. The International Court of Justice, ICJ, found that Israeli policies violate Article 3 on prohibiting racial segregation and apartheid. Over 1 million European citizens have signed the European citizen initiative demanding suspension. More than 90 humanitarian and human rights organisations have demanded suspension.”
“At the very least, this must include the banning of products from Israeli settlements and the suspension of parts, if not all, of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. I acknowledge that the Taoiseach has requested an urgent discussion on this among EU leaders at the next meeting of the European Council, which is happening on 18 and 19 June when it is due to discuss the situation in the Middle East. It has always been the Taoiseach's view and our view that it is far preferable to see action at a European level as we believe that would be far more impactful than unilateral national action. The core argument for suspending the agreement centres on Article 2 of the agreement, which makes respect for human rights and democratic principles an essential element of the treaty.”
“In that contact, he expressed very grave concern regarding the shocking treatment of EU citizens from the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was illegally detained by the IDF, as well as expressing grave concern about the very unacceptable behaviour of the Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir. Many of us have seen footage of how the Minister treated these people with absolute contempt and tried to make a laugh of them. It was absolutely shocking. We cannot have a situation where the EU continues with a business-as-usual approach to Israel when it is behaving in a way that is so fundamentally at odds with the very basic principles and values of the European Union. Within the Fianna Fáil Party, we believe that action is absolutely required at EU level.”
“It refers to the recent approval of the death penalty by the Israeli Parliament as a very grave violation of fundamental human rights and then covers a number of different areas. Why did we bring this forward at this time? The motion very much looks at the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which was agreed in 2000. It is a treaty granting Israel preferential trade and access and establishing political co-operation with the EU. It includes a binding human rights clause that has become very central to a lot of the debates that we are having currently. I wish to acknowledge and support that the Taoiseach contacted the President of the EU Council last week.”
“On behalf of the Fianna Fáil grouping in the Seanad, I am very pleased to move this motion. The motion is very clear in what it attempts to do. It is expressing our very deepest concern regarding several measures by the Israeli Government that contravene human rights and violate international law and international humanitarian law and condemns the shocking treatment of EU citizens, including Irish citizens, from the Sumud flotilla. The flotilla was illegally detained by the Israel Defense Forces in international waters. It specifically calls out the unacceptable behaviour of Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who posted videos of their mistreatment on social media.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann: - expresses its deepest concern regarding several measures by the Israeli Government, including executive decisions, military decisions and laws adopted by the Knesset, that contravene human rights and violate international law and international humanitarian law; - deplores the fact that direct calls for the Government of Israel to fully comply with its international and moral obligations, and to revert those measures, have been ignored; - accepts the need of the European Union (EU) to uphold its moral and political responsibility, and to defend the very core values that have underpinned the European project since its foundation; - agrees that respect for human rights must remain a fundamental pillar and guiding principle of all our actions and of all EU relationships with partners; - believes that the European Union can no longer remain silent or inactive in the face of such breaches; and condemns: - - the shocking treatment of EU citizens from the Sumud Flotilla, illegally detained by Israeli Defence Forces in international waters; - the unacceptable behaviour of Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who has posted videos of their mistreatment on social media; and recognises that the recent approval of the death penalty by the Israeli Parliament is: - a grave violation of fundamental human rights; - a step backwards in Israel’s commitment to democratic principles; - a violation of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement; - an additional step in the systematic persecution, oppression, violence and discrimination exerted against the Palestinian population; and further recognises that: - conditions in Gaza are unbearable, marked by continuous violations of the ceasefire agreement and the clearly insufficient entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip; - the situation in the West Bank is rapidly deteriorating, with escalating violence against Palestinians; - radical settlers are acting with absolute impunity, and alongside ongoing military operations by the Israel Defense Forces, resulting in the intolerable deaths of innocent civilians; - statements by extremist Ministers of the Israeli Government are inciting dangerous levels of violence; - the ongoing expansion of Israeli illegal settlements in the West Bank is a deliberate attempt to undermine the viability of the two-state solution, a policy to which the EU is committed, and to secure the long-term security of the region; - recurrent attacks against religious freedom and its exercise by Muslims and Christians are challenging the traditional status quo of the Holy Land; - the interception of civilian vessels by Israeli forces and the illegal detention and treatment of those onboard are the latest examples of a pattern of behaviour that has seen Israel’s growing disregard for international norms and its failure to meet its obligations under international law; - these developments are causing unacceptable human suffering, undermining the implementation of the two-state solution and threatening the viability of the Palestinian state; - the military operations being carried out with absolute disregard for international law and international humanitarian law, are destroying civilian infrastructure and forcing Lebanese citizens to leave their homes with no prospect of coming back, and must stop immediately; - more than 1.2 million people have already been forced to leave their homes, according to the United Nations, further aggravating the humanitarian crisis; - statements by Israeli authorities, announcing the intentions of occupying the Lebanese territory south of the Litani River, and to obliterate the houses of the Lebanese civil population is a flagrant violation of international law; and understands that: - the European Union cannot continue with a ‘business as usual’ approach to Israel, when it behaves in a way that is so fundamentally at odds with our basic principles and values as a Union; - there has been a clear assessment by the European External Action Service that Israel is not in line with its obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement; and calls for: - - the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.”
“They were keen for Ireland to complete the CETA agreement - it has been going on since 2017 - and felt there was a lot of potential and scope there. Given what is happening with relations with Canada's near neighbour, every indication we received was that the doors are wide open to extend trade to Ireland and the EU. As part of our trip, we also went to see Ireland Park in Toronto and the new cultural Ireland House, which will be an incredible space for Irish artists to go to. Therefore, we need to do everything we can to help to protect and preserve the 19,000 jobs in Irish companies in Canada and 22,000 jobs in Canadian companies in Ireland - with lots more in the pipeline - and to grow and promote more.”
“This is an interesting and important debate. I had the opportunity, along with Senator Stephenson, to visit Canada just before Christmas as part of a trade mission to Washington and Canada. We were in Canada for three nights, one in Toronto and two in Ottawa. I was blown away by the level of investment that already exists and the number of jobs that are dependent on trade between Ireland and Canada. This is fact. Ireland is the tenth largest investor in Canada. Canadian companies employ 22,000 people in Ireland and Irish companies employ 19,000 people in Canada. Two consulates have just been opened in Canada. That is for a particular reason. It is to support trade. We met several members of the Canadian Government and Opposition who told us the gates were open for trade.”
“It needs to be teased out in case everybody went looking for the test, but it could maybe be done on a phased basis to ensure that requests that come in from different geographical areas are done. It is worth a lot of merit, and we will bring it back.”
“It is certainly something that we need to encourage. I missed Senator Tully, and I apologise to her. She spoke about the recent EPA report on domestic wastewater treatment systems and about the inspections that are carried out when owners register because they are required to do so as we know. It is a fact that 59% of systems fail the test but homeowners then have access to get a grant of up to €12,000, which is significant funding. It is a concern that when systems fail the test there is a risk to health and the environment. The Senator makes a very fair point in relation to the fact that it is random testing and that if people are concerned, they should be able to request it. It is something that we will bring back to the Minister.”
“The Senator also spoke about the drug givinostat and I thank her for organising a good briefing yesterday. It was heartbreaking to listen to those who are suffering and to the parents of those who are suffering. We will continue to bring that message back to the decision-makers, to the HSE, the Minister and, of course, to the drug companies as well. Senator Maria Byrne spoke about Ryder Cup coming to Adare Manor, which we are all looking forward to, and about the golf clubs that are coming together to encourage young people to take up golf. She said that there are seven golf clubs around Limerick. It is great to see young people participating in any sport, but golf is unique in that a person does not need a big team and they can go out at any time of the day. I know young people who have taken up the sport and they find it really good.”
“I accept that in general energy costs are a concern and I assure the Senator that it is something that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Government are looking at. Senator Costello spoke about investing in our young people and about the Citywise Education awards in Tallaght with a particular mention of Elizabeth Valentine. She is so right about young people thriving in positive situations where they have positive engagements with their peers and mentors in their lives. She also spoke about visiting the new woodwork room at Rosary College. It is wonderful to go to new schools or extensions and see the home economics, woodwork and science rooms. My God, it is quite incredible to see how they are kitted out. We would all love to be back in school to be doing that again.”
“We will look for the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, to come in and talk about it. We have looked for him on several occasions. He has not come yet. I do not think he has been in the Seanad Chamber during this mandate, so we will put pressure on to try to get him here in relation to this. It is an important issue. Senator Sarah O'Reilly spoke about energy costs and in particular the energy costs for homeowners and renters as opposed to the energy demands for business. One should not be exclusive of the other. We should have enough energy to ensure that the house occupier is not in competition with business because we need the business element as well. She spoke about the transition to renewables. At the moment, about 46% of our energy comes from renewable sources and these businesses are paying very high development levies when setting up.”
“I heard a small debate on "Morning Ireland" yesterday morning in relation to this issue. The Senator is correct that it should not be a flat rate because while everybody was traumatised by what happened, there were degrees of severity experienced. It should be proportionate and we will ask the Minister to look at that and to engage with the victims. Senator Crowe spoke about social media and the impact it has on our children and the fact that recent research has shown that it can be as bad for our health as smoking. He is right. We have a commitment that it will be raised during the EU Presidency but the Senator is right when he says that we need to have a consensus among our EU partners. That is the best way to deal with this crisis and let us a call it a crisis because it is.”
“I read an article about it recently and, while I accept that sacrifices will have to be made, it is concerning that there has been a lack of engagement with the owner and no compensation put in place. We will ask that this happens as it is important. Senator McCarthy also raised the issue of planning in Ireland, which arose at the housing committee. Part of the problem is that it can vary from county to county. Planning is not an exact science but we should be able to streamline applications and decisions and ensure that people have straightforward responses even in preplanning meetings. It is important. Senator Andrews proposed an amendment to the Order of Business that was seconded by Senator Tully and which I will not be accepting. Senator Andrews also spoke about payments for the Stardust victims.”
“When I hear of Knock airport and Monsignor Horan, I think of that wonderful song "The West's Awake" because it brought a real rejuvenation both in terms of the diaspora and business. It just shows that build it and they will come. When a person has that vision and they build something, it most certainly will be used. Senator Duffy also acknowledged Government support for the airport right throughout the years. Senator McCarthy spoke about the forced closure of the Silk Road Cafe, a really lovely cafe that is part of the Chester Beatty Library, because of its proximity to Dublin Castle and security concerns related to the EU Presidency. It is a shame.”
“I am thinking of the young people in Newbridge, Rathangan, Kildare and Monasterevin who do not have access to a public swimming pool. In fact, many of them used to go over to the pool in Portarlington but that is now closing for two years for a refurbishment. It is certainly a good idea, but we need to bring the infrastructure up to scratch as well. Senator Mark Duffy spoke about the 40th anniversary of Knock Airport, the "foggy, boggy runway" as it was called and paid tribute to the vision of Monsignor Horan, a man who was larger than life and an incredible force of nature. He had the support of so many communities not just in Mayo but right around the country. The airport has gone from strength to strength with approximately 1 million passengers a year. It was undoubtedly a beacon for the west of Ireland.”
“Sometimes it is sitting in the chair and rolling on the wheels as well as walking in the shoes, but it is about looking from the perspective of somebody with a disability at the small things that we all do everyday, such as parking our car or a business putting out a sandwich board. It is important we do it everyday, but tomorrow is a day to particularly highlight the public realm. It is important to note. The Senator also mentioned Amber Thursday, the local authority awareness campaign around fire, road and water safety. The Senator mentioned, and it is certainly a good idea, that all young children should have the opportunity to learn to swim and those swimming lessons should be free of charge. I totally agree, but when there are not enough swimming pools it is a real issue.”
“I thank all of the Senators who contributed today. We started with Senator Comyn. I wish the Senator happy and safe driving in her Volvo EV. She mentioned Edward McCloskey, a Drogheda businessman who won EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. That is always a very interesting contest, with participants from lots of different backgrounds. I had the privilege of being at it once. Obviously, Mr. McCloskey's company is doing very well to win that because there is a lot of competition. WaterWipes, I understand, is the name of it. I wish Mr. McCloskey well, as he is representing Ireland in Monaco in the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year. What a lovely place to meet to do that. The Senator also mentioned Make Way Day tomorrow. It is really important that we try to walk in the shoes, so to speak.”
“I extend my welcome to the ambassador. The Order of Business is No. 1, Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at 11.30 a.m, with the proceedings thereon shall if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 2.30 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair, which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by Government; and No. 60, motion 1, Private Members’ business, motion regarding the EU-Israel Association Agreement, to be taken at 2.30 p.m., or on conclusion of No. 1, whichever is the later, with time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.”
“On what the Minister of State said about communication, Councillor Daragh Fitzpatrick told me yesterday that he put three CRMs over the previous three days into Uisce Éireann and did not get a response to one of them. When our public representatives, who are doing such a good job, are not getting any communication, that is a problem. I ask that the message go out loud and clear that we want honest and time-bound information, as well as a resolution to the issue itself. Part of the Minister of State's area of responsibility is the National Parks and Wildlife Service. He does an excellent job in that regard and I admire the work he does. The Curragh Plains is something we have spoken about. We have discussed the possibility of the land being transferred from the Department of Defence to the Minister of State's Department.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate that he and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, have responsibility for this but their voices are very strong in terms of the messages they can bring from the floor of this House to bodies such as Uisce Éireann. I beseech the Minister of State to use his voice, as I know he will. There is a very clear explanation for Hillsborough, which I accept. The Minister of State said there are a range of measures in place to address the challenges and referred specifically to the Allenwood reservoir. It serves the Allenwood area, but is not a reservoir in Allenwood; it is actually in Allen, which is a different place. The pressure management and network reconfiguration measures being implemented are not giving me any peace of mind. I have written to Uisce Éireann and will do so again.”
“I had put this Commencement matter in for Tuesday, but on Tuesday morning, I met a lady from the Hillsborough area in Newbridge who spoke to me about similar problems there. That is why I added it to today's Commencement matter. In Newbridge, there are particular issues with low pressure. People are trying to have showers, particularly in this hot weather, when they come in from work and are not able to do so because the pressure is so low. Generally speaking, it is bad news all around south-west Kildare and Newbridge. We need to know what is going on. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? We need to know what is happening and how it will be remedied.”
“One individual who works with Uisce Éireann told one of the councillors that the water is being turned off at the reservoir at Allenwood to protect areas of higher population. If that is the case, it is absolutely wrong. We need to have honest communication to be clear about what is happening and why and timely information needs to be given. There was a situation last week where tankers of water came out at 8 a.m. It is always helpful to get tankers if there is no water, but people were told the water would be on from 9 a.m. without a shadow of a doubt. What happened? It did not come on. Therefore, the order to send out the tankers was correct, because there was not going to be water, but people were getting the wrong information all over again. People can make plans if they get the information in a timely way.”
“Some people can go quite easily to the shops to get water - that is a big expense - but many cannot get to the shops because they are older or vulnerable for different reasons. It got so bad that some individuals rang "Liveline" yesterday to talk about it. Everyone was aghast about the reality on the ground. The lack of water is a huge problem, but the communication around it is particularly difficult. Uisce Éireann is issuing press releases about it and they are not worth the paper they are written on. There is wrong information, miscommunication and there have been strong rumours. I spoke to two local councillors, Daragh Fitzpatrick and Brian O'Loughlin. They are getting different information as well.”
“I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, is welcome to the Chamber. In north-west Kildare - I am particularly talking about Cappanargid, Lullymore into Allenwood, around Robertstown, Caragh and so on - there have been huge issues with water shortages. People have signed up to get communications if the water is going to be turned off, as a managed turn-off. People are not getting that information at all or they are getting it four hours late. In the past week, the water has been turned off five times in that area. This is quite a rural area. People are living on their own, including elderly people. People have small babies and they do not have access to water in this very warm weather.”
“Supporting peace and security must mean being willing to call out actions that undermine the protection of innocent civilians. I am interested to hear the MEPs' views on those aspects.”
“While animal welfare is hugely important, we have to do everything we can not to undermine one of Ireland's most important rural industries. If I may mention the peacekeeping element for Europe, I was really glad to hear the Taoiseach speak last week about how Europe must come together to challenge Israel. While there is an agreement at Government level that we would proceed with the occupied territories Bill, and that is incredibly welcome, it is really important that all of Europe come together to send a very strong message to Israel, and indeed to any country that would promote war and would have such aggression against its near neighbours. Stronger pressure has to be placed on the Israeli Government regarding civilian casualties, access to humanitarian aid and adherence to international law.”
“If I may bring up something related to agriculture, namely, the equine industry, I know that two of the MEPs have particular experience in that. The scale of that industry cannot be overstated. It brings about €2.4 billion into the Irish economy and supports about 30,000 jobs. Counties such as mine, Kildare, have become internationally recognised equestrian centres. There is a huge issue about proposed EU transport regulations that could place huge additional pressure particularly on breeding horses right across Europe. When we have an industry that brings so much money into the country, when it provides so much employment and has an international recognition, we have to do everything we can to protect that.”
“We have to do everything we can to support not only our farmers and their livelihood but also the rural communities within which they live. Many of us represent rural communities, and if it were not for the farmers who are spending their money within those rural communities, a lot of the smaller businesses we have would not survive. We in Fianna Fáil are incredibly proud of the role Mr. Cowen has taken as lead negotiator with the Renew group. I am delighted to hear that Mr. Flanagan is taking that role as well. I have no doubt that, wearing the green jersey, we will have such a strong input in that regard. The generational renewal in farming and supporting the female farmers are hugely important as well.”
“What I learned this morning from the brothers was that shared sense of compassion, understanding and respect for one another for wherever any of us are at. I really felt that there was a very strong message there for us. I know we are looking forward to meeting them in Government Buildings tomorrow as well. Many of the MEPs focused on the whole area of agriculture and the CAP. Without a shadow of a doubt, that has to be the first priority. As part of the European affairs committee, we have had several meetings with the president of the IFA, Francie Gorman; Liam MacHale, who does an incredible job in Brussels representing the IFA; and, of course, Damian McDonald. The real concern about the proposed reduction of 20% there is very tangible. We cannot accept that for a number of different reasons.”
“Our MEPs are incredibly welcome to the Seanad Chamber this afternoon. I am listening to the breadth of the work they have all undertaken, some in similar areas and some in more niche areas. We thank them for the work they are doing on behalf of the 1.8 million people who live within the region they represent. I listened to Ms Carberry talking about dementia. I met the FTD Brothers this morning in Kildare. They are just incredible; Jordan and Cian and their dad, Greg. They were able to turn a really difficult personal story into one of hope. It resonated with what Mr. Cowen said in relation to the extremes that we see, the hatred that is in evidence within the political world and outside it, with racism and different elements that really show an awful lot of negativity.”
“It is important this is factored into everything. For some young people leaving secondary school, going into third level or further level can be quite daunting. Anything we can do to help and support has to be considered. The Minister will not be surprised to hear me speak on the need for apprenticeships in north-west Kildare. We badly need this in a place where Bord na Móna was synonymous with apprenticeships. It is also about encouraging young people to be entrepreneurs and set up their own businesses. The last thing I will mention is an individual called Des Henry who has done incredible work with the WALK PEER programme. He works in Walkinstown with WALK. It is around career guidance for young people with disabilities leaving school. Unfortunately, they are now actually shunted back into day services.”
“The Minister is very welcome. I know him to be a politician of conviction, particularly when it comes to education and access to it for everybody of every type of ability and those with mixed abilities. The Minister has done a lot of work already. I note a report that came out today, the Mid-term Progress Review of the National Access Plan 2022-2028 for higher education and equity of access. We have actually gone beyond the targets and we are two years ahead. I commend the Minister on that. It is really important. Expanding access and excellence has to be key to everything we do. In the short time I have, there are two things I will bring up with the Minister. The first is the importance of transversal education, the non-formal and informal, to make our young people very well-rounded young people so that they can develop resilience.”
“I would also like the Acting Leader to ask the Minister for Education and Youth to outline how similar community-based initiatives can continue to be supported, including supporting young people reading at an early stage. There was a presentation in the audiovisual room approximately two or three weeks ago about the importance of reading and of libraries having new books. I hope that will be addressed in the budget. It is important that we ask the Minister to come in to look at these initiatives that promote reading across public transport and across the community.”
“I would like to ask the Minister of State with responsibility for older people to come to the House to outline and debate what further investment and supports are being considered for dementia research, awareness campaigns and services for families living with neurological illnesses. I commend Dublin Bus on its recent Books on Board book club initiative aimed at encouraging reading among commuters. When people are spending long hours commuting every day, the joy of being able to pick up a book and leave back a book is really important. It helps make it a far more positive and engaging experience, while promoting Irish literature and providing books at a discounted price. It has been a positive initiative, and we would like to see more of it.”
“I know that the campaign has resonated really strongly right across the country. Tomorrow, we are looking forward to welcoming Jordan and Cian in Kildare where we expect very large crowds to turn out to support them on the second last day of their journey through the country. The support that has been shown around the campaign really shows the strength and depth of compassion and solidarity that exists in Ireland for families affected by dementia. Unfortunately, both Jordan and Cian carry the inherited gene linked to the condition but they have transformed their huge personal tragedy into a campaign of hope, awareness and fundraising that has inspired so many.”
“I start today by congratulating Deputy Kyne. It was a privilege to work with him as Leader of the Seanad. I have no doubt that I speak for all of the Senators across the House when I mention his sense of fairness to everybody. His office was always open, his phone was always ready to deal with an issue or a problem that anyone had, and he carried the role with great dignity. I wish him very well in his time back in the Dáil. I wish to raise the wonderful campaign being carried out by Jordan and Cian Adams in raising awareness for frontotemporal dementia. Through their remarkable marathon challenge across Ireland, the brothers have raised really significant awareness as well as over €1 million for dementia research and support services after tragically losing their mum to the illness.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann resolves that the period of operation of sections 1 to 7 and 9 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 (No. 14 of 2021) be extended for a further period of 6 months, beginning on the 1st day of June, 2026 and ending on the 30th day of November, 2026.”
“I disagree with Senator Boyhan on one thing. The Senator referred to the debate last night, which I believe was an excellent debate. I thank the Senator for tabling that motion. Senator Boyhan said he thought consensus is not always important among politicians. I think consensus is hugely important. While we will have disagreements and different views on things, working together to have consensus is mature and important. It is what people want to see us doing. The people we represent want to see those in the Opposition and those in the Government working together.”
“He spoke about the Ombudsman for Children's report. I heard a little bit of it this morning. Dr. Niall Muldoon is doing an incredible job. We all stand over it, and we respect and support what he says and his observations every year, as we should. As the Senator said, 34 years after ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child we need to ensure that the rights of children are fully incorporated. I say hello to all of the boys and girls here today in the Gallery. It is something that is important to all of them as well. I know that the priorities have not been announced yet and are only being finalised because Ireland does not take over the Presidency until 1 July. We have many competing challenges at this stage but it is something that I will bring to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne.”
“We will ask. Maybe it is worth putting in a Commencement matter with the Minister for education as well. It is important. It transforms lives. Senator Dee Ryan spoke about dental care, not for the first time. She spoke about the statistics from 2023 within Limerick when 8,500 children were entitled to get it and only 1,600 were seen, which was one in five. It is simply not good enough. There is a regional disparity. It is a very good suggestion that we look at developing dental tax credits for families. As one of 11, my parents were driving us to the dentist every single week. I am sure they would have been delighted with a tax credit at the time. It is a really good suggestion that needs to be taken up. We will ask for the Minister for Health on that regional disparity. Senator Boyhan spoke about two issues.”
“Senator Nelson Murray spoke about the situation of somebody who came to her with a child with dyslexia who was refused assistive technology. Assistive technology is hugely important. It has always been a battle to get it and I have never understood that. I have had to undertake battles and had to raise it within the House. While it is a significant amount of money for a laptop or any type of assistive technology, it is going to help a young person not just learn but actually increase their confidence and self-esteem. That is what I came across in the personal situations I was helping with. The children themselves felt they were being looked down on. They felt they were being targeted for low-level bullying and their self-esteem was low. We absolutely have to get this right. We certainly will look to see when that circular will commence.”
“The Senator also mentioned retention. That is an issue for the Minister for Health, but obviously it is important that we look at ways we can retain our nurses who do such a valuable job. We will bring that to the Minister's attention. Senator Murphy O'Mahony spoke about Organ Donor Awareness Week, and how we should always remember those who have donated and the families of those who have donated during this week, and of course those recipients whose lives have been changed. It has been life-saving. At the moment there are 550 people waiting for organ donation. It is really interesting that since the opt-out clause came in we have had fewer donations. That is a little bit concerning. We have to have those conversations. The gift of life is hugely important and we all have a job to do on that within our own communities.”
“We will look for a debate. I think we need to have it. Senator Keogan spoke about the current situation in nursing education. Only last week, we spoke about International Nurses Day and how important it is to recognise the 93,000 nurses we have in this country who are working not just in hospital settings but in clinic settings and in nursing homes. Their training is hugely important. Obviously, the placement part is hugely important. Trainee teachers, especially primary school teachers, have the same issues. I have no doubt that it is hard to balance the academic demands with that and then to financially cover the costs of living and learning. That training element ceased when nursing became a degree course. We will ask the Minister, Deputy Lawless, to look at it and we will ask him to come in to have a debate.”
“I come from a family that has been in business so I totally understand the concerns and the stresses. I know very good people in business. There is concern about their pension when they finish. As the Senator said, there are concerns about access to medical cards and so on. These are the people who have been paying the pension contributions and PRSI for their employees. We do need to have a debate with the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke. It is a really important point. We have to support our SMEs within the country. We have to see what supports we can put in place for them now that the minimum wage has been raised again, and rightly so. It is another challenge for people to meet. Again, these are the businesses that provide the raffle prizes and supports to local community groups, local schools, local GAA clubs and local sporting clubs.”
“Effective, affordable and accessible public transport is key to so many things we do. I genuinely feel lucky that I can access that in Kildare. I know so many people who cannot access it in other places. Having said that, the announcement yesterday of the rail link to Navan is really good, so there are good things happening as well, but we will request that. Senator Manus Boyle spoke about self-employed people and the challenges they have. I absolutely agree with him that we need entrepreneurs in this country. We need people to take risks. They are the people who pay the taxes and who provide the employment that gives the State the money to be able to pay the people it has to, including teachers, nurses, doctors, gardaí and so on. It is very concerning.”
“There has to be a huge amount of co-ordination. I use the train when I can - I used it yesterday morning. There is a big issue with trains coming from the north and trains coming from the south and west. The trains from the south and west are using the Phoenix Park tunnel and trying to come into Pearse Street. It is causing problems on both ends. We need this new system and we need it to work. The Senator is telling me now that Iarnród Éireann has said the system cannot be deployed after a significant amount of money has been spent on it. This is the first that I have heard of it. The National Transport Authority has ordered an independent review and we need to have that as soon as possible. The Senator asked whether the Minister could come in to address it and look at it. We will certainly look for that.”
“Over the latter few years in particular, there has been a huge growth in the illicit dog-breeding industry. It is about time that we have this. What is welcome is that there will be a minimum number of full-time staff workers with every 20 dogs. There will be strict limits on female breeding, with a maximum of four over the life of a female dog, or six if certified by a vet. For breeding dogs, it can only be one litter per year. We have to welcome that. The main point the Senator was making is that there is not a limit in the draft Act in terms of the number of breeding dogs. I accept that. We will have the opportunity to ensure that goes in as an amendment. I would certainly agree with that at this point in time. Senator Crowe spoke about a proposed new IT system for trains to make sure that they are running on time.”